You have to give the French some props. While one of the big names in music coming from the city of light is In-Grid, a one-hit-wonder dance/pop diva that has not released a good album in years, you shouldn’t judge the French for their exports… you have Emilié Simón and Camille. Camille Dalmais ventures into the alternative music terrain yet once again. Her previous effort “Le Fil”, earned her the French equivalent to the Grammy and even the president’s recognition. On her follow up album, “Music Hole” Camille delivers one hell of an album.
{sidebar id=120}“Music Hole” is Camille’s first (almost entirely) English album, a bold move for a French musician whose core audience resides in her home country. Regardless of that, she decides to take another risk- keep musical instruments and production trickery to a minimum and emphasizing on vocals, body percussion and more vocals, hence the name “Music Hole” (no pun intended).
For this album Camille has been compared many times with Björk. While their music styles and voices are totally different, back in 2004 Björk released “Medulla”, an album with similar aesthetic. While “Medulla” was dark and just weird with no real intention behind it, “Music Hole” is indeed weird, but never annoying nor dark… it’s quite an uplifting-sounding album with strong powerful lyrics and then some more.
Camille decided to record in English because according to her it’s a badass language, it has edge and more flexibility than French. She didn’t ditch French entirely though, French phrases pop here and there occasionally.
When it comes to lyrics, unlike the ones in “Le Fil”, this time around they play an important role. Now that Camille has become a household name, she’s ready to really speak her mind.
Proof of that comes on her first single “Gospel With No Lord” in which she lets the world know that she is not religious, and that THAT is the least of her worries… sort of like Kathy Griffin’s Emmy speech in which she tells a certain religious figure to suck it.
Camille even mocks pop divas and Top 40 artists that are always looking to recording that “#1 Hit” on “Money Note”. On that same song she sticks it up to Mariah Carey and her many octaves range and achieves a register that Ms. Carey couldn’t possibly achieve: tea-pot register.
Throughout “Music Hole” you’ll be able to appreciate Camille’s musicality and her immense talent. If there’s one song that show cases Camille at her best is “The Monk”… a beautifully crafted and executed track with no lyrics.
Must [Legally] Download Songs: Money Note, The Monk, Home Is Where It Hurts, Cats And Dogs, I Will Never Grow Up.
